Car-coupling



T. BALL. GAB GOUPLING.

(No Model.)

No. 549,180. Patented Nov 5, 1895.

' ANDREW BGRAMM. PHUYOUTHQWASNINGTONJL.

* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS BALL, OF HOPESIDE, VIRGINIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 549,180, dated November 5, 1895. A nmi n m March 28,1895. Serial No. 543,553. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS BALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopeside, in the county of Northumberland and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to an improvement in car-couplers, the object being to simplify and perfect the construction and operation of mechanisms of this character, and especially to. make a strong and effective coupler, and provide for automatic uncoupling in case of accident; and the invention therefore consists, essentially,in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is the plan view of the lower frame of two cars having my improved coupling mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation of two freightcars provided with my improved coupler, certain parts of which are shown in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan view of a part of the coupler mechanism. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the platform and one end of a passenger-car provided with my new coupler. Fig. 6 is an en- .larged detail view showing the yielding arrangement of one of the endwise-movable' spacing-collars for keeping the coupling-links in place.

Like letters of reference denote like parts in all the different figures of the drawings.

A A denote the end portions of a couple of cars, being in the example shown in Fig. 2 freight-cars, although of course I do not intend to be restricted to any particular style of car. A passenger-car is shown at A in Fig. 5, having a platform A Beneath the cars are arranged the usual rectangular frames, composed of beams or sills suitably constructed-as, for example, the parallel longitudinal beams B B, connected at each end by the transverse cross-beams B. In order to more firmly attach the beams B to the beams B B, and enable said beams B to withstand a greater strain thereon, I provide the inner brace-rods b b, which are fastened to the beams B and also to the beams B B.

The beams or sills B, which as we have seen, are at the front ends of the cars, are pro- ;vided with central slots H, having horizontally-inclined or slightly-curved faces that slope toward the end of the car, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, while the edges of the slots are made flaring at the front at H, so that thus the bottom and sides of slots H are flared to provide a sort of mouth to receive the coupling-links, which operate therein in a mannerto be presently described. The rear faces of the beams B, on the side opposite to the inclined bottom face of the slot H, are provided with a recess or groove h to receive the hook of the grappling-link, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

O 0 denote the duplicate grappling or coupling links or hooks, as they may be termed. One of these is pivotally mounted at each end of each car. By referring to Fig. 1. it will be seen how they are situated parallel to each other. Take, for instance, the lefthand end of the right-hand car-frame shown in this figure. The coupling-hook O occupies there a position in the right-hand end of slot H; also, the hook O, belonging to the right-hand or adjacent end of the left-hand car-frame, occupies a similar position in the right-hand end of slot H in said frame. 7 Thus when two cars come together the couplinghooks 0 pass alongside of each other to the right. By always equipping the cars with the duplicate links thus arranged at the right hand in each instance a correct and accurate engagement of the parts will be insured. These coupling-bars 0 may be of any desired size and shape. When they are in coupling position, they will both occupy the two adj acent slots H, as shown in Fig. 1, and hence said slots should properly be of a width .suf-

ficiently large to easily accommodate the two bars therein and give them the necessary. play. The rear ends of bars 0 have the enlarged parts 0, and the forward ends have an arrow-head form, being rounded to a blunt point I and provided with the hook-point i on the under side. The rear ends 0 of these bars 0 are pivotally hung uponthe horizontal bars D, which pass through the side beams I3 3, and are held by means of an integral head at one end and an adjustable nut at the other, or by any other suitable means which 5 may be found convenient and fitting for the purpose. The ends O of bars are provided with slots 0, through which the rods D pass, the object of the slots being to take the strain off the rods D when the coupling-bars are in IQ coupling action by permitting the enlarged ends C to abut against the rear sides of beams I with a hooking action thereon.

The coupling or grappling links C are kept at the proper place upon the rods D and pre- I vented from becoming displaced laterally by means of spacing sleeves or collars E, which fit tolerably loosely over the rod D and lie between the pivotal point of link 0 and the beams B. In order to permit the pivotal end of the link 0 to have a little lateral play, it is found best to arrange these sleeves so that they will be yielding to a certain extent, and this is accomplished by arranging springs at their ends next to the beams 13. I prefer- 2 5 ably provide the ends of sleeves E with flanges c, and between these flanges and beams B, I arrange a series of, say, three spiral springs F, as shown in Fig. 6, said springs being held, for instance, in small openings in beams B. 0 These springs F exert a gentle pressure against the sleeves E and cause the latter to be yieldingly held against the pivotal portions of the coupling-links 0, thereby allowing said links 0 to have a slight freedom of 3 5 lateral movement upon their pivots.

Across each of the slots H is a flat horizontal spring G, which is secured at one end to the upper face of the beam B, the other end being free and therefore capable of being lifted. The end at which the spring is fastened is nearest to the link C belonging to the frame on which said spring is fastened. These springs act as a yielding-pressure device above the links C, and in conjunction with the slots H provide the openings or months into which the hooked ends of the links C enter when ears are being coupled together.

The operation of the grapplers O in coup- 5o ling will be readily apparent from the foregoing description of the parts. \Vhen the cars approach each other, the inclined ends I of the links 0 will enter the opposite slots H and ride upon the inclined bottom faces thereof beneath springs G until they drop over the rear edges of beams B and the hooks i engage the rear grooves 72 as shown in Fig. 4.

In order to uncouple the grapplers C, cords or chains K are attached to said grapplers at a short distance from their pivotal points.

(See Figs. 2 and I11 case of a passengercar having platform A the cord K maybe carried over a single pulley and out to the edge of the platform, where it may easily be grasped by the brakeman. In the case of freight-cars, as shown in Fig. 2, I preferably carry the cords K to the top of the cars and around the pairs of pulleys j j, which are supported in the standards J. The manner of using these cords K is fully delineated in Fig. 2.

M y improved car-coupler is especially useful in cases of accident, because it is so constructed as to permit an automatic uncoupling to be effected. If the locomotive or one car should jump the track, the wrench given. to the locomotive or car by the displacement of the wheels thereby caused will make the coupling-links twist sufficiently to become disengaged from the slots H, and hence the derailment of one car will not effect the train, but the rest of the cars will be left secure upon the track.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car coupler, the combination of the car-beams having inclined slots, the pivoted coupling links having a bearing against said beams and the yielding pressure device bearing above the links, substantially as described.

2. In a car coupler, the combination of the car frame having an incline-bottomed slot, the coupling links having slotted rear ends and hooked front ends, the rods supporting the slotted ends of the links, the fiat springs above the links, and the receiving grooves for the hooked parts of the links, substantially as described.

In a car coupler, the combination of the coupling links, the rods on which they are pivotally supported, and the yieldin collars on said rods, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the coupling links, the supporting rods therefor, the collars on said rods, and the sprin at the ends of said collars, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the hooking links, the rods passing through slots therein, the yielding collars on the rods, the yieldin devices above the links, and the car beams having inclined slots, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS BALL. lYitnesses:

CHAs. \V. KENNARD, CLAY A. TEMPLEMAN.

ITO 

